The passing of Robert the Cook Gentile sees the Gravy train of Gardner Heist carpetbaggers continue.
Latest is the lawyer of Robert Gentile Hartford Attorney Ryan McGuigan teasing he has some secrets about the Gardner case and might release them in the future, perhaps in book form?
However, Ryan is up for the Inspector General job in Ct, which might thwart any revelations on the Gardner case whilst Ryan serves.
Aside from the actual Gardner case itself, the story of the relationship between Hartford Attorney Ryan McGuigan & Made man Robert Gentile in his last decade is worthy of a book.
The one universal thing agreed by all is those who have control of the Gardner art believe there is a trap waiting for them if they step forward.
Until this changes the only hope is an Informant being bullied into giving a location of the Gardner art.
The FBI & Gardner Museum have been trying this for the last 31 years without success.
Time to change direction.
Either come out and declare to the public the only acceptable way for recovery of the Gardner art is for people to be held to account and only then if charges are filed will any reward payment & Immunity from prosecution be considered.
Or, change direction and publish a Gardner Art Reward Price List, attracting some lesser valued stolen Gardner artworks being offered back as a Test Balloon.
Currently, the FBI & Gardner Museum speak with fork tongues, in public its all we dont want to prosecute, we will pay the reward, offer immunity.
In private its we will only accept an informant willing to testify and reserve the right to withhold any reward payments until all 13 pieces are recovered.
to be continued...............
Did CT mobster leave information on stolen Gardner art in his will?
HARTFORD, Conn. — Last Friday, Connecticut mobster Robert Gentile died in a Hartford, Connecticut hospital. Some think his death presented the last best chance to recover the precious artwork stolen from Boston’s Isabella Steward Gardner Museum.
Gardner Museum Security Chief Anthony Amore does not believe that.
“We’re not deterred, or downtrodden or delayed, because of the death of Robert Gentile,” Amore said.
Federal investigators believe Robert Gentile was likely involved with moving the stolen Gardner Museum artwork from Boston to possibly Philadelphia for sale But now Robert Gentile is dead.
“I think he took information to the grave, certainly, I just don’t know what it was. And we’ll never know now,” Amore said.
The feds believe Robert Gentile came into the picture years after the Gardner theft in 1991 in an effort to move the stolen paintings.
When the feds hit Gentile’s Connecticut house with search warrants, they didn’t find the paintings, but they did find other evidence, including a handwritten list of the stolen art with their street values. Gentile later failed a government polygraph.
“You can’t bank everything on a polygraph, of course, but when you add it to the totality to what we know, it’s an interesting fact,” Amore said.
Robert Gentile’s lawyer, Ryan McGuigan, has long championed Gentile’s case, alleging federal investigators were overreaching in their pursuit of the stolen art. But in a telephone interview, McGuigan told me he has his own questions about his client’s alleged role in the saga of the Gardner Art Heist.
“Is there any information that [Gentile] shared with you that might shed some light on who had the paintings, where they went, and who might have them now?” I asked.
“Yes, we had many conversations about the paintings over the years. We’ve had a lot of conversations. I have drawn some conclusions about what may have happened ultimately and where they went. But at this point, I’m not really willing to share that.” McGuigan said.
I asked, “Is this information the government has?”
“No, no,” McGuigan answered.
“Robert Gentile left behind a will. Is there anything in that will, that you are aware of, that might shed some light on the stolen paintings?” I asked.
“At this point, I cannot comment on that,” McGuigan said. “My law firm drafted the will for him, so I will respect the beneficiaries of the will, I can’t comment.”
“Is it possible there is something there and you need to look at it?” I pressed.
“It’s possible. I haven’t looked at it in some time,” McGuigan said.
He added later, “It could be the beginning of the last chapter.”
Anthony Amore would not comment on McGuigan’s statements. However, Amore said it is not uncommon for stolen art to be returned a generation after it is taken.
“Mr. Gentile has passed away. Maybe there is somebody out there who is less afraid to speak and will now come forward. I hope they do,” Amore said.
The Boston FBI issued a statement Thursday saying the case remains open and active for its agents. And the Bureau issued a reminder that the reward offered in this case stands at $10 million.
